Ember was taken aback.Did he just say… mate? To who?Her wolf snarled violently at the silver wolf as he took a tentative step toward her. Her sneer meant ‘watch it.’But the silver wolf did not stop, he kept moving forward in slow, deliberate steps, sniffing the air like it intoxicated him. When he came within biting distance, Ember snapped her jaws at him in warning, but with lightning fast speed, he struck her muzzle with his huge paw. Ember recovered immediately and latched onto his leg, biting down with force until she tasted blood.Anger flashed in the silver wolf’s red eyes, and he barked, swiping at her again, this time with more force, sending her rolling away from the carriage.As Ember stood up, she saw him sniffing the back of the carriage where Kaya and her mother lay unconscious. The moment she rushed at him, his voice came into her head again, assertive, with a hint of warning.‘Mate.’Ember approached the carriage cautiously, her wolf still bristling. The silver wol
The clearing froze. Ragnar’s head whipped between his sister, Stella, and Caden, who was approaching her in his wolf form.Stella stepped back as Caden’s wolf stalked toward her, sniffing the air around her, his eyes clouded over with the mate call. She looked frightened, glancing between him and her brother behind him.Ragnar, seeing her discomfort, lunged forward, placing himself between them.‘Back off,’ Ragnar sneered, his teeth bared threateningly at Caden.‘Mate,’ Caden said simply, a longing whine escaping him.“Caden,” Ember called, walking up to him. She sank her fingers into his coarse fur and gently dragged him away, eyes following them as she gave an apologetic smile.Collin watched them go, his eyes burning with jealousy and anger.At the far end of the camp, Ember handed Caden and Raphael the bag of clothes Raphael had taken from the mansion. They took it, moving behind trees to change. Caden wasted no time, reappearing fully dressed, already heading for Stella, who st
Ragnar stared into the flames of the campfire, what were the odds that he and his sister would both find their mates on the same night?“Where is she?” Stella asked him, her voice stoic.Ragnar glanced at her in confusion. “Who?”“Your mate. Even though you refused to tell me, I can smell the mate bond on you. And you keep looking at that carriage.”“I was just thinking about it. It’s all so convenient. I help a bunch of escapees, and two of them turn out to be our mates.”“Yeah. The boy won’t stop staring at me.”“Can you blame him, though? I’ve got the most beautiful sister in the world.” Ragnar nudged her softly, but she didn’t smile. “What’s wrong?”“I don’t know… it’s just, will you be too busy for me now that you’ve found your mate?” Stella asked, her voice was unsure.“No, never.” He turned to face her on the log, cupping her face with both hands. “If you’re not ready, nobody can force you. And you will never not get my attention when you need
Darius thrashed through the woods toward Halister’s Inn. Halister hadn’t been present at their secret meeting place for the third time that week, and Darius wondered what exactly was going on.He and Serene were feeling cooped up, fed up with being in the inn all day, and tensions had been rising between them. Serene was losing patience by the day, getting snappier, making him leave the inn often to give them both breathing space.As he arrived at the inn, he noticed that there were very few patrons aside from them, which caused him to suspect this might not just be an inn for fronting but a hideout for Halister’s friends or acquaintances. Smart.He pushed open the door to the room he shared with Serene, and what he saw made his heart clench.Serene was dressed up and standing next to a small packed bag, looking out of the window. She must have seen him approaching.“What is this?” Darius asked, his tone gruff with disbelief.“I’m leaving, Darius. It’s over.” Serene’s voice was calm,
The next morning at Ragnar’s camp, Stella went to great lengths to avoid Caden, who was paying close attention to her every move. His wolf was restless at being so close to their mate, yet she was ignoring him. He just wanted to talk to her, to understand why she would reject him when she hadn’t even met him.Caden was irritated by how attached she was to her brother, using him as a human shield. Between that and the weird glances Collin, Ragnar’s friend, kept throwing his way, he was confused.“The carriage is ready, Caden,” Ember called from the carriage.Raphael, wordless ever since they arrived and Ragnar met Kaya, sat in the driver’s spot, staring off into the woods.Caden didn’t know whose situation was worse, his or Raphael’s. Your long time crush finding her mate, or your mate rejecting you?Ragnar had permitted some of his pack members to accompany them to Bloodveil to assist, as they were venturing into abandoned territory, and with two sick women requi
Their arrival at Bloodveil territory was quieter than they had imagined it would be. The regents stationed at the borders parted and let them through as if they had been expecting them.Ember had thought they’d have to fight their way in since the territory was under Thorne’s control, but no such thing happened. As the carriage rolled toward the towering gates of Bloodveil’s pack house, Ember was overcome with nostalgia. This was the land and home she had been born and raised in, where she had lived her early years with her brother and parents.She turned to look at Caden and found him staring up at the gates in quiet awe, just as she had been.The sparse guards moving around the territory paid them no mind as the carriages rolled to a stop in the courtyard. The huge building looked old and weathered, in need of repainting and fixing in areas where windows and pillars had chipped away. The house was a shadow of itself, obviously neglected under Thorne’s rule.Raphael
The room was in worse condition than Ember had expected. Dust caked the furnitures and cobwebs stretched from the bedposts to the ceiling, the heavy curtains hung tattered, barely covering the dust coated windows. The air was thick with the scent of abandonment clinging to every surface.Caden swept his hand over the old dresser, raising it to show a layer of dust so thick it looked like soot. He wiped it on his pants and a muttered curse. “This is disgusting.”Raphael was already by the bed, testing the bed frame with a tentative push. It groaned under his weight but held. “Not as bad as it could be. At least it’s still standing.”Ember ignored both of them, stepping further into the room. It was her parent’s room once, a place she’d played in as a child, watching her mother brush her hair by the mirror, her father leaning against the doorway, murmuring things Ember had been too young to understand. It had been warm then, and alive. But now, it felt like a tomb.She swallowed hard, p
Darius stood in the middle of the wreckage, blood dripping from the wound on his arm where a splinter had torn through flesh in his rage. The room was a disaster with broken furniture and shattered glass littered on the floor. None of it mattered though, Serene was gone. Back to Matteo, to comfort, back to a life that suited her, and she was going to kill his child. He didn’t blame her though, she was never meant for cheap inns and uncertainty, or scraping by with nothing but empty promises. He had nothing to offer her anymore.A sharp, impatient knock sounded at the door. He didn’t move. The door creaked open, and the innkeeper stepped in, pausing as he took in the mess. His eyes narrowed in irritation. “What the hell is this?”Darius didn’t respond.The man huffed, stepping further inside and crossing his arms over his chest. “You think you can tear up this place and just stand there?” His voice rose with frustration. “I want you out. Now.”Darius exhaled, slowly flexing his finger
Thorne’s massive black wolf clashed with the white one, their growls shaking the quiet woods as they snapped and scraped at each other. They broke apart, circling each other, both ready to kill.Before either of them could lunge again, a voice yelled out. “Ragnar!” Kaya shouted as she burst into the clearing with panic all over her face.Ember’s heart skipped and her eyes darted to the white wolf... realizing…“Wait…” she murmured, “That’s Ragnar…”She didn’t stop to think and she rushed toward them, throwing her arms out. “Stop! Both of you!”The black wolf that was Thorne skidded to a halt, baring his teeth. The white wolf growled, his chest rising and falling in heavy breaths.“He’s with us,” Ember said quickly, her eyes on Thorne. “Ragnar’s one of us. He’s not the enemy.”Ragnar growled through the mind-link, his voice rough and angry in her head.“He’s always been the enemy. I came here to kill him.”Thorne responded just as coldly.“You can try. Everyone who’s ever wanted a pie
“I’m going outside to get some air,” Ember muttered.Caden just nodded, already sinking back onto the edge of the bed, his eyes never leaving Stella’s face.Ember made her way down the stairs as the house buzzed with activity all around her. Hammers tapped, brushes sweeping, voices murmuring all around the house. She passed the workers, each one pausing to bow slightly or nod at her.The hallway no longer looked like abandonment. The cobwebs were gone, the heavy smell of dust had been replaced with clean air and the faint scent of polish. The faded wallpapers had been stripped and replaced with colors that glowed warmly under the light streaming through the lamps. It was becoming a home again. She was the Luna of Thorne Maddox’s pack. That truth echoed in her head with a weight she could finally carry, and she was carrying his child. And despite all his scars and all their disagreements, Thorne had ordered this house to be rebuilt and had stationed guards to protect her, he had exten
Ember watched from the far side of the room as Caden pressed his palm to Stella’s forehead. His expression was grim, and his shoulders dropped in sadness.“She’s not burning up,” he said, “she’s healing fine… just still out cold.”Probably from the trauma, Ember thought, but she didn’t say it out loud. Stella’s lashes twitched a little but her face was slack. Ragnar sat on one of the narrow beds with his legs spread and his hands clenched. The big room was starting to feel like a den, her mother’s corner armchair, Caden kneeling beside Stella sleeping, Ragnar barely holding it together, and her, watching it all. The builders hadn’t finished the left wing they started with so for now, the master bedroom was all they had.Ragnar’s voice broke the silence. “Where’s Kaya?”“She’s okay,” Ember said. “She’s healed completely. But she wasn’t here when we brought you two in. She probably went out for a run or something.”He didn’t say anything, he just gave her a stiff nod and stared down at
The night was silent, broken only by the soft rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets. Moonlight slipped through the dense canopy of the trees above, casting shadows over the forest floor where the eight men moved like ghosts, silently and focused.Darius kept his eyes ahead and his senses sharp. Every step brought them closer to the edge of Thorne’s estate. The tall walls of stone loomed in the distance, partially covered by wild vines and the mist.Collin crouched ahead of them, and raised one hand as a signal.Darius stepped forward and joined him, crouching beside him in the bushes. Collin’s breath steamed slightly in the cool night as he leaned in towards him.“We can get in without much trouble,” he whispered. “Security is even more lighter than we expected.”Darius gave him a curt nod that confirmed that he’d heard. Bloodveil had drawn Thorne’s attention and he had left his home vulnerable.Collin looked over his shoulder at the men behind them, then turned back
Darius watched as Collin spat out a thick glob of blood, then he laughed… actually laughed, and slapped his thighs like it was all a joke.“I can’t believe she escaped before I ever got a taste,” Collin said like it was nothing. Stella had nearly died.Disgust crawled under Darius’s skin, but he kept his expression flat. He reminded himself for the hundredth time that he needed Collin. At least until Thorne was dead. After that, they’d never have to cross paths again.The air still smelled like blood, and the clearing was eerily silent now that the chaos had ended. Ragnar had fought like a possessed man, pummeling Collin to the edge of death before scooping his unconscious sister into his arms and walking away without a word. Back to Bloodveil, no doubt.Collin spat again then rolled his shoulders as his body continued the process of healing. Flesh stitched itself together where Ragnar’s claws had torn into his ribs.He’d taken damage, but he’d given it too. It had been a dirty fight
Luna Zyrah stood from her bed, her robe brushing against the stone floor as she walked over to Kaya’s corner. Kaya sat curled up by the window, staring blankly at the wall like it held all the answers to her pain.“How long do you plan to sulk?” Luna Zyrah asked with her arms crossed. “Shouldn’t you be preparing to meet your mate? The one who saved your life?”Kaya didn’t move or blink. “I asked you a question,” Zyrah said, her voice tight. “When I speak to you, you answer.”“I’m not one of your wolves,” Kaya said flatly. “You’re not my Luna. I don’t belong to anyone.”Luna Zyrah’s hand lifted like she meant to slap her across the face.“Mother,” Ember’s voice cut through the air, sharp and calm all at the same time.Zyrah froze mid-motion. She didn’t look back at Ember, she just exhaled sharply through her nose and stormed out of the room, robes flaring behind her.Ember crossed the room with slow, careful steps, like she wasn’t sure Kaya would even tolerate her presence.“You shoul
Raphael opened his eyes slowly, blinking up at the sky above. His vision was blurry at first, but when it cleared, all he could see were branches leaning over the edge of a pit. Cold air brushed against his skin, and his whole body felt like it had been hit by a truck.He tried to sit up and winced. His back ached, and his legs hurt even more. He glanced down and realized one ankle was swollen. Definitely twisted, maybe worse. The dirt beneath him was damp and cold, clinging to his clothes. He must’ve been lying there for a while.Right. The fall. He had been running. Everything came back in a slow, bitter wave.He had been running through the forest like a man with nowhere to go and everything to lose. Leaving Bloodveil, leaving Kaya, and Ember.Raphael let out a shaky breath and leaned his head back against the wall behind him. His heart didn’t ache like it had when he first saw Ragnar with Kaya, it burned. He hadn’t expected it. He’d always thought there was a chance, no matter how
Collin tilted his head towards Stella who was standing by the fire with her arms crossed, the glow danced across her soft features. “Have you ever seen anything finer than that?” he muttered, nudging Darius with his elbow, his eyes locked on her like he hadn’t eaten in days and she was the main course. “Sexy as hell, isn’t she?”Darius smiled but he didn’t say a word.Collin scoffed. “What a waste though. Mated to a scrawny teenage boy who has probably never even seen a woman naked.”Darius gave a lazy shrug and let his gaze wander to the trees. “When are you making your move?”Collin blinked. “On?”“Thorne,” Darius said plainly, his tone shifting. “Before he picks a beta. Once he does, his perimeter and security is going to get tighter. I’m running out of time.”That wiped the grin off Collin’s face. He straightened up, his shoulders rolling as his whole vibe turned serious. “What’s this really about? Why the obsession?”Darius didn’t answer right away. He rubbed the back of his nec
The room was quiet as Raphael, Ragnar, Caden, and Luna Zyrah all watched her, like the fate of the world depended on the words sitting heavy on her tongue. Ember swallowed, her throat was tight but she already knew the answer. She’d known it the second Ragnar helped them that night in the woods and from how he treated and protected his sister. But knowing didn’t make it easier.She didn’t want to hurt Raphael, not with the way his eyes were pleading and desperate and full of history she still didn’t understand. He was with Kaya when she had being taken to Thorne’s mansion and he no doubt protected her too.But this wasn’t about comfort or friendship, or even who came first. This was about who Kaya needed now.Ember shifted her gaze slowly, locking eyes with Raphael calmly despite the weight in her chest.“She’ll need someone strong,” she said quietly. “Someone who won’t hesitate in making decisions that’s best for her.”Then she turned to Ragnar.“It should be you. I’m trusting you to